Tower of God: ReAdaptation
by CorruptDream
Summary: A re-adaptation of the entire Tower of God series, in novel format, told through first person narrative. In collaboration with Lucenthia.
1. Chapter 1: The Tower

Chapter One: The Tower

Narrator: Twenty Fifth Baam

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me towards Rachel, the freckled, blonde girl who was everything to me. I strained to catch up to her, and I reached out to grab her, pulling at the ribbon tied around her waist, resulting in both of us tripping and falling. As I was about to fall on top of her, I caught myself with my hands.

"Where...! Where are you going!" I cried out as I looked down at her.

She looked back up at me without changing her expression. Then she finally said, "I'm going to climb the tower." She paused, and then continued more quietly. "I told you Baam. If you climb this tower, you'll be able to go to the outside... You can see a blue sky during the day, and a starry sky during the night. Living in this dark world...I can't stand it anymore." She raised her hands up and touched my cheeks. "I'm sorry. Baam...I'm sorry. Please forget about me. So that I can be reborn." As she finished, I could suddenly hear a strange sound, it sounded almost like the ground was splitting apart. White tendrils of light appeared from the ground and wrapped themselves around Rachel. She looked to her left in surprise, then smiled at me.

"N...No...You can't Lahel!" I whimpered. "No! Don't go! PLEASE!" I screamed out. What looked like a massive door opened beneath us, and on it was drawn what appeared to be a massive structure, stretching into the skies and almost touching the sun itself. "No! Don't go! Rachel! IF YOU GO...! I'm going to follow you til I die!" It may have just been my imagination, but I think Rachel smiled at that.

"Don't go. Don't go Rachel. Don't go...please," I moaned.

I opened my eyes and saw I was in a room the likes of which I had never seen before. Hanging from the walls were lights and carved into the wall were strange and sometimes frightening images. Some kind of reptile. A man in armor holding up a sword. _Where...is this?_ I thought to myself. The room appeared to be made of carved stone, but it was worn done and gone entirely at places. In one such place, floated what looked like two pearls. A massive, shining, purple cross appeared in the sky above the room.

"My my, it seems I have a guest. It's been awhile..." A quiet, chuckling voice said. I grabbed my knife and spun around towards the direction of that creepy voice.

"W...Who?!" I asked. It looked like a rabbit, but it walked on two legs. It had a gold and blue ornament on each foot, and a dark blue vest.

"Whoa, whoa. I won't hurt you," he tried to reassure me. "It's been such a long time since a person has opened and entered through the door." It spun a gold staff with a blue sphere on each end around in its hands. "I welcome you to the Tower, child." _M...Monster?! Is this...Inside the Tower...?_ "My name is Headon. Guardian of the lowest Floor of the Tower. What is your name, child?" It asked me.

"N...Named after my birth, Twenty-Fifth Baam." I stuttered.

"My, that's a hard name to call. Good, I'll call you Baam for short. It has become a tasty name!" he joked.

Note: "Baam" can mean either "Night" or "Chestnut".

"Might I ask why it is that you have entered the Tower?

"Ah...! I...I followed a girl here! Did you by any chance see a blonde girl that passed by here!?" I asked desperately.

"Ah! A blonde gir..."

"You saw her?! Do you know where she went?" I said excitedly.

"May~be~, that is-"

"Please tell me! I must meet with her...!" I could feel the desperation creeping back into my voice.

He swung his staff upwards "The answer is always at the top. That is the only thing I can tell you. If you wish to have your answer, if you wish to find her, head to the top. Money. Glory. Absolute power. If you seek abilities and answers which are like magic, head to the top. All of the universe's wisdom, glory, and happiness; it has been placed at the top of this Tower. This Tower, is such a place." He walked over towards one of the damaged sections of the wall, and a massive, blue eye several feet long appeared from behind it. "However, climbing this tower is a long, dangerous, and difficult journey, child."

"If I can meet with her...I don't care what dangers there are."

"Good. That's a firm resolution. Then, to see whether or not you have what it takes to climb the Tower, shall we begin your Test?"

"A Test...what's that?"

"To determine whether or not you are worthy to go to the next Floor, each Floor holds a Test. If you pass the test, you can proceed to the next level. The test is determined by the Guardians of each Floor. Of course, the difficulty increases with each level. In Layman's Terms: If you, Baam, wish to go to the next floor, you must pass the test given by the Guardian of that level," he explained. "Then; watch, this is the Test of the lowest level." He tapped a wall with his staff, and it began shining. The wall disappeared, and in its place was a black iron gate, with blue light emanating from it. A glowing, blue slit glared out at me from in between the metal bars. As my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I saw a large fish-like creature swimming beyond the gate. Its abdomen appeared to covered in a black plate, while the rest of its body was white with red smudges. Protruding from its head were two horns, the tips ominously colored red. "It's 'Ball'."

"B...Ball...What do you mean? And what is that gigantic...monster for...?!"

"Ball is a very simple type of test. 'Ball' is that object you see over there, about as large as a person," he pointed at a black shape past the monster. "If a strong external force is applied to the ball, it will pop. The goal of this test is very simple. You must go into the steel cage, then either avoid the monster or defeat it. And then, apply force to the ball, causing it to pop. Then, you will pass the test."

"By...by monster...you mean that gigantic thing?!" It was at least thirty feet long, and I looked worriedly at its saw-edged nose which was easily as long as I was tall.

"Correct! It is that monster. For your information, that monster's name is 'White Steel Eel' and it lives within the sacred waters of this Tower. Normally, it is very mild mannered but...it is breeding season right now and it hasn't eaten anything in over a month...it has become quite violent. Are you afraid? Of that monster...?" I didn't answer. "My, that's a problem, for you to be scared of a fish like that," he scolded. "It's unfortunate, but if you cannot pass this Test, you cannot go onto the next level. Then, you won't be able to find that girl you're looking for...perhaps you'll never meet her again." _I...I can't see her?_ Just the thought made my chest feel tight and hurt. "A girl, all alone in this Tower...it sure does worry me...perhaps she has already become fish food...or kidnapped by some bad people...but child, think logically." _For it to end like...this..._ "For you to pop that ball is nearly impossible. For you to attempt this now is just suicide." _No. _**_I want to see her -_** "That monster is very fast and nimble within these waters. You will never be able to get away with your legs." **_this instant!_** "You will in the end become fish food for the monster if you go. So rather than trying the impossible and committing suicide, would it not be logical for you to just forget about her and live...?!" I ignored and ran forward, towards the cage. As I ran past him, I thought I could hear him laughing sadistically to himself. Maybe he was just manipulating me, but I didn't care, as long as I got to see Rachel again. "I sincerely welcome you to the Tower, child," he whispered.


	2. Chapter 2: Headon's Floor

Chapter Two: Headon's Floor (1F)

Narrator: Evan Edrok

"M'lady! Lady Yuri! Lady Yuri! M'lady! Just what are you trying to accomplish by getting to the bottom level?!" I yelled out. "Lady Yuri! Please at least say something!"

"An Irregular has entered the base floor! And actually 'opened the door himself'!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Whaaaaat!? Is that for real?!" She stopped.

"Yes! It seems someone really opened the door!"

"If that's true, it's huge news! An Irregular at the base floor...!"

"Of course it's big news! Evan, a huge event! I think he's at the base floor with Headon, the test will probably start soon!" I didn't like the glint in her eyes. It was the glint she got when she leapt head-first into a nest of hungry shinhueh, or when she'd go on an assignment she got from Urek-nim.

"B..but m'lady you aren't heading there to watch...right?"

"Of course I'm going to watch! Big event." She laughed as she ran.

"Noooooo! Why would you try to watch that?!"

"It looks fun doesn't it?"

"No, not fun at all! It's dangerous!" I exclaimed. Why did she never think about those who didn't have Black March or insane shinsoo resistance.

"Scaredy Evan," she teased.

"Plus what if we get caught by Headon!?

"It's fine, it's fine." That didn't reassure me one bit. We finally arrived at the ceiling to the First Floor.

"I ended up coming after all...please don't let us get caught by Headon," I prayed.

"Evan! Look over there, it's the newbie and Headon!"

"What? Wh..Where!?"

"Heh, you want to see too?"

"We..Well, we're here, we might as we-" I looked down into the chamber. The Irregular was just a young boy, he had khakis and a red vest on, and he had short brown hair. "...what the...at a glance, he looks completely ordinary."

"I thought a monster like Urek was going to come in, rather quite disappointing," she sighed. "Hey, Evan, how would you as a Guide evaluate him? Could there be some sort of hidden ability? A transformation! Or..."

"Hm. He looks agile, but a small physique. Doesn't seem to be mixed with any special race...above all else, the feeling of 'strength' that I could feel from the past Irregulars just doesn't seem to be there. He's a completely normal human being," I concluded.

"What? Seriously!? Aren't all Irregulars like Urek and has beams coming out from between their legs?" I just sat there stunned for a minute. How does this girl get these ideas stuck in her head?

"Even Urek doesn't have that that kind of bull shit ability! Well, I might have something coming out...but! That's not a beam!" I pointed out.

She laid back on the floor. "Ah, so anti-climatic...I was hoping for something big..."

"Something certainly is strange..whether it was Phantaminum or Urek, all Irregulars were really strong...but that guy might not even pass this Test." I replied. Maybe it might not turn out so badly after all. Maybe she might get bored and go back up.

"Well, probably...there's no way an ordinary human would pass."

""Ah! It's Ball! The Keeper is White Steel Eel...this is too much...something that big usually only comes out after the Twentieth Floor. Is he planning to make him give up?"

"For Headon, an Irregular probably isn't too welcome. He's just going to scare him and make him , whether he takes the Test or not, that kid isn't going to make it into the inner levels of this Tower. Since he's just going to die if he takes the test...how pitiful. Should we help?" She laughed and my blood ran cold.

"What?! Wh..Why would we!?

"I'm curious. About him. Every Irregular has brought chaos into the Tower."

"We don't need chaos in the Tower! Nobody likes an Irregular!" I yelled. Why did she do these things? Even her grandmother, head of the Ha family wasn't this brazen.

"Hmm~"

"Ah, no! Absolutely not! If the King finds out, it's death! Death! The boy looked down at his knife.

"Uhmm~"

"Wh-Whatever! There's no way he's going to take the Test, so it doesn't matter!"

The boy suddenly started sprinting towards the cage. "But that kid, is running?"

I groaned out loud. "Why...why is he running!?

"What the? Why run!? Hey! Beams coming out from between your legs doesn't actually help!" She called out.

"Is he taking the Test?! Is he crazy!?"

Lady Yuri began laughing. "He doesn't disappoint my expectations after all! it just got fun! Evan! I'll be right back!" She jumped down from our watching place into the Testing Chamber.

"Ehhhh!? M'lady! Nooo! M'lady! Please...!"

"Don't worry Evan!" she called just before she fell through.

That tomboy is going crazy again. I sighed in despair What I'm worried about...is not your head, but mine, my freaking lady...

I watched as she jumped through to the inner tower and stopped the kid from going through. Then she called me. Why did she always get me into trouble, and with a guardian no less. But, orders were orders, and even if I did have a higher ranking, it wasn't like I could disobey the orders set by the three lords.

I jumped down, and found out that Headon had 'forgotten' to give the irregular a pocket. I didn't believe it any more than Yuri did, but I didn't say anything.

"Hey, stop that bullshit" Yuri barked. Easy for her to say, self-preservation didn't register on her radar, any more than impulse control did.

"You have a spare pocket right?" She was saying, "Hurry and give it to him." I obliged, and gave it to the irregular. He suddenly breathed in sharply and looked around, like he could suddenly see things for what it was.

"How was it, the feeling of obtaining a pocket for the first time?" I asked. "Can you understand me?"

The irregular looked at me, and it was obvious that he could, even if he didn't say anything. I was about to introduce myself when Yuri barged in front of me. "That's an A-grade pocket, way too prestigious for you, so be grateful got it?"

Hesitantly, the irregular asked "Does this marble allow me to understand you?"

Yuri nodded, and I pushed my way in front of him and introduced myself and my lady. His amazement at something that mundane was nice. It gave me a sense of nostalgia. I taught him how to have his pocket enter and exit visible mode, then groaned inwardly as Yuri started demanding answers from Headon. You just didn't demand anything from a guardian.

"Hey, just because he's an irregular you use these tactics to scare him away?" She was asking.

Headon just shrugged and replied "I was simply administering the proper test for this individual."

Yuri snorted. "Bullshit. This is a test for level 20 regulars and above." Arghh. Why was she doing this? What if Headon decides to report us to the Three Lords, or if he just decides to kill us all?

Luckily, Headon didn't seem to be taking offence. He simply said "My lady, you seem to be forgetting that this boy is an irregular, and all of the unchosen ones has possessed power beyond imagining. For an irregular, is this not a test of appropriate difficulty?"

They glared at each other; or rather Yuri glared at Headon while he just smiled back.

The stare-off might've gone on for a year if the irregular hadn't cut in. "Excuse me, but you keep calling me an Irregular. Uhh, what are those?"

Yuri looked at him. "We call those who opened the doors to the tower an irregular." She adopted a more formal tone that befitted the topic of irregulars. "Only chosen individuals may enter this tower; however, every so often an irregular like yourself enters the towers. For ages irregulars have brought change and chaos to the tower, and as a result become symbols of fear within the walls."

She changed her tone to her usual uncouth tone as she addressed Headon again. "But seriously!? This guy's completely different from the previous regulars! He's scrawny, no special abilities. The only potential strength he might have is his looks and even that..."

The poor kid cringed under Yuri's tirade and I couldn't blame him.

"Even an A-grade guide's evaluation is that he's a completely normal human! He's like an irregular irregular!" She moved up to Headon and nudged him suggestively. "So, how about it. It wouldn't be so unreasonable to lower the difficulty would it?"

Headon's expression remained as unreadable as ever. He seemed to deliberate for a moment, then said, "You seem determined to see this child climb the tower, princess." Yuri copied Headon and still stared at him without saying a thing. "Ok, I understand." Headon said suddenly. "Let's bend the rules a little."

"Really?" Yuri asked happily.

"How does this sound?" Headon asked, and suddenly his aura seemed a lot more sinister. My lady should have known that Headon didn't just give things away for free. In some ways he was the perfect example of a guardian. "How about the princess here lend the child one of your weapons?" Headon continued.

Yuri frowned, and she was suspicious as well now. "Lend a weapon?" She asked.

Headon nodded "Correct. All of your weapons have an extremely high grade. Such a weapon would undoubtedly give the child an advantage. Say... The weapon the King recently bestowed upon you... Black March." I was astounded. What the hell was Headon playing at? None of the other guardians abused their power as custodians of the tower. "Admittedly, lending a weapon is against the rules," Headon was saying, "but if you choose to lend Black March, I will turn a blind eye, just this once."

Even Yuri's expression wavered at Headon's impossible demand. "Black March is a little..."

Though Headon's expression never changed, it looked like he was smirking. "Do you feel it is too much to let go?" He asked. "You seem to want to let this child go up, but you seem reluctant to gamble something of your own. Well... If you don't want to..."

I didn't know why Yuri was deliberating. It just wasn't possible to len-

"Fine." Yuri said.

The only reason I didn't protest was because I was shocked speechless.

Yuri beckoned the irregular over and put her arm around him in that informal way of hers. She said something to him that I couldn't pick up, then pulled out her arms inventory. That irregular didn't even know how honoured even viewing something like that was.

"Lady Yuri, you musn't!" I yelled. "You can't just lend a weapon like Black March. If the King finds out you'll be executed!" But of course my lady didn't listen to me. When did she ever?

"The name of that weapon is Black March." Yuri was saying. "It's one of the most basic type of weapon, a needle. Needles are used to stab and pierce things. This is a top grade needle made by the master craftsman Edwaru..."

As Yuri was talking I was praying that the King never found out. I was hoping that the irregular would refuse, but instead he thanked Yuri, and even called her noona! After promising that he would return it to her, he ran towards the cage.

As he did, I asked Yuri "Why are you helping him to the extent of lending Black March? Is this what they call love at first sight?" I braced myself, and as expected, Yuri punched me on the head.

Without moving I asked "You don't really expect that this irregular will bring change to the tower do you?"

Yuri didn't look at me, but replied "I don't have such a stupid expectation, but I just took a liking to this boy."

Well, if I could rely on my instincts and call it guide's intuition, I suppose Yuri could make such baseless judgments. Sighing, I turned and watched the boy enter the cage.


	3. Chapter 3: Headon's Floor - 2

Chapter Three: Headon's Floor - Part Two (1F)

Narrator: Yuri Zahard

I watched Baam go into the cage, but I'd started to have second thoughts. Contrary to what Evan said, I did have them. I just had them after I acted.

Maybe Evan might be able to pass judgment. "We let the kid go because of his determination, but this test just seems so bleak." I asked without looking at him. "Hey. You think there might be a way?"

"To be honest, this is a test far too overwhelming for him." Evan replied. "You could only pray for a miracle."

I sighed. "Yeah, I thought so too." It looked like this Irregular might just disappear from the tower without doing anything.

I clenched my fists and watched. Maybe he'd be able to run past the eel. Evan kept on talking about not being able to run through dense Shinsoo. It was true that you couldn't, but his 'limit' was way too low. But Baam didn't do anything, he just stood there as the eel opened its mouth. Was he too scared to move?

"Hey!" I shouted. "Baam! What are you doing?! Run for the ball and pop it for god's sake. Run! You idiot!"

But it was too late, and the eel closed its mouth around him. I ran over to the cage, but Evan held me back. "Let me go!" I yelled at him. "He's fucking crazy! Damn, I have to go and get him out right-"

"No my lady!" Evan yelled. "That's the answer to the test!"

What the hell was this mushroom talking about!? "So the answer of this fucking tests is to let yourself get eaten for their next generation? Huh?"

"No, my lady" Evan cried. "Look"

I turned my head, and saw the eel spit Baam out. That was one insane irregular. "H-he came back out! Stabbing the eel from the inside?" I asked Evan.

He nodded. "Exactly. Without running, facing the eel straight on, that is the only way to pass the test. However, being able to do so requires extreme courage, determination and judgement. That was what the test was for, wasn't it Headon."

Did he do this just for dramatic effects? "Why didn't you tell me this?" I asked him.

He shrugged in that expressionless manner and replied "Even if I'd told you it wouldn't have done any good. A normal..."

Yeah, a normal guy wouldn't have been able to do it. Even that bastard Urek. This guy really was an irregular irregular. Maybe that'd show Headon what would happen if he kept playing around like this. Grinning, I watched as Baam raised Black March and struck at the ball.

But it didn't pop.

What the fuck!? "What kind of ball is that?" I yelled at Headon. "Why the hell isn't it popping!?"

But Headon just shrugged in that oily way of his, and replied "Who knows?"

"Who knows?" I repeated. I was this close to punching him as hard as I could. "I've never even heard of a ball that's fine even after being pierced by Black March!"

Headon's face grew even smugger, although it didn't change. If I could, I'd do an Enryu and change that fucking face permanently for him.

Now, Headon was unable to contain his mirth, and he smiled, exposing sharp teeth in his mouth. "I guess it's a pretty well-made ball..."


	4. Chapter 4: Headon's Floor - 3

Chapter Four: Headon's Floor - Part Three (1F)

Narrator: Black March

There was a lot of noise going on around me. It'd been a while since I'd been a good fight and maybe I might see some fun. Of course, there was no way I'd go all out for that bitch the King gave me to. So arrogant. Like I could be given away like a normal needle. I did the human equivalent of lazily opening an eye. You humans always need things put in perspective for you.

Anyways, I did the equivalent of lazily opening an eye and was disappointed. Really disappointed. For one thing, it wasn't dangerous, or fantastic, or anything. Basically it was boring. I did the equivalent of going back to sleep. The dense shinsoo in the area must've jerked me awake. Also, the taste of Steel Eel blood made me get my hopes up, but as I said: it was pretty boring. What was that stupid princess doing, lending me to some random person. How dare she. But then again, it wasn't like I enjoyed being used by some girl. A pretty plain one at that. She couldn't compare to me of course, but then again, very few could. I felt my user pounding on my hilt. What? The user was too weak to even break a ball? What kind of person was he? But I felt a Guardian's power at work here. I felt my point in contact with something that was hardened by the Guardian itself. Nothing I couldn't burst, of course, but I really couldn't be bothered to actually try.

"Black March! Ignite!"

What? What the hell was he thinking? I sighed. Whenever someone ordered me to Ignite he was brought into contact with me. Of course, just because he could talk to me didn't mean that I had to help him. I saw him and was shocked. My user wasn't some arrogant, strong ranker who won me in a bar bet with that idiot princess.

It was a young boy, with wavy black hair that contrasted his pale skin. Even though his skin was pale, almost like he'd been living in a cave his whole life, his eyes were a brilliant amber that shone through his dark hair and pale skin. These eyes were full of hope and determination. They were like stars of hope that shone through the plain white day and the constant, boring night. I tried to stay cynical. It was possible that this kid was as selfish as the rest. "You want to go up that badly?" I asked him.

He looked up. "Bl-Black March?" He stammered.

"Precious riches?" I continued, "Beautiful women, a fruit bearing magical taste, or even sweeter glory?" I went on as the boy stared up at me. " Which of these are your reason to climb."

The boy looked down and smiled. Looking back up at me, he said "Rachel."

Hmm, this was interesting. I hoped he wasn't one of those virulent ones that could think only of skirts and what was under them. "What's that?" I asked. "The name of a precious treasure, or maybe the name of the most beautiful woman in the tower?"

The boy shook his head, his hair flowing like a wave with it. "No, Rachel is the name of my friend." He said. "She's doesn't sparkle like a jewel, and she's not beautiful." He went on earnestly. "She's tomboyish, pulls jokes on me, and sometimes even lies." He smiled again in reminiscence. His innocence was just so endearing, and his eyes felt like beacons of youth in this huge tower. "If I could just find her again" He continued. "I don't care about climbing the tower."

This kind of innocence would be stamped out sooner or later, so I supposed it wasn't wrong to just help him preserve it just a little. "A rather trifle man." I smiled "But I don't mind such men, and most important of all" I said as I caressed his smooth and unmarred cheek "Your face is just my type." That was true. Definitely true. "Alright, I'll help you just this once."

I fully released my power into the blade and the point, digging into the Guardian's power. I could feel it start to give as white light began to pour out. I saw that idiot princess staring at me, and I hugged the boy. I imagined putting his pure, white face to mine and smiled at the thought, as well as the outrage on that princess's face.

It was then that I started detecting something else underneath the strength. I looked into it as I bored deeper and deeper and found that it was a teleportation to another floor. I smiled. Maybe I'd get to spend more time with this boy. I hoped so. And I got my wish. I broke through, and the ball emitted out tendrils or darkness that swallowed the two of us. I retreated back into my shell and sighed in satisfaction as the boy lay unconscious on the next floor. Lending me to this boy was one of the smartest things that princess did ever since she got me.


End file.
